July 03, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 28, 1429

HYDERABAD, July 2: Members Sindh Democratic Forum expressed concern over the increase in gas prices which it termed will escalate prices of all items while snatching the right of the poor to live.In a statement mailed to Dawn here on Tuesday, Convenor Abrar Kazi said people, especially in Sindh are reeling under unemployment, poverty, hunger, loadshedding, lawlessness and deteriorating service delivery.

People voted for the PPP on hopes that the government’s continuous inaction and directionless policies, insipid and uninspiring budget and bouts of petrol and diesel price hikes will, at some stage, be reversed and masses provided relief, he said.

He termed the recent gas hike unjustified and unwarranted and an eye-opener for the people to stop pinning hopes on their elected government as it was equally visionless, uncaring and aimless.

He deplored the government’s ever-increasing expenditure which is met by robbing consumers and the latest proof was gas hike though Pakistan was a producer and its foreign investment in this filed had been paid back long time back.

The SDF told the government categorically that this price increase was unacceptable and would prove as a last straw. Combined with poverty and unemployment this move will unleash a wave of unrest and increase the poverty-driven lawlessness.

It demanded immediate withdrawal of the unjustified increase in gas price, making public all agreements made with foreign exploration companies, visible steps to cut down wasteful expenditure of the government such as closing down unnecessary departments and reducing the number of officers and ministers, and especially cut in defence expenditure.

These measures will make people believe that their votes did not go wasted, said the SDF Convener.